There is no surprise that the 10.48 carat, flawless, Fancy Deep Blue, Briolette-cut diamond attracted so much attention at Sotheby’s Geneva sale of Magnificent Jewels on Wednesday, November 14, 2012. This stunning and extremely rare diamond managed to garner more than double its estimated price, and sold to Laurence Graff for a whopping USD$10,860,146 (USD$1.04 million per carat).
A fantastically rare 10.48ct, Fancy Deep Blue, Flawless, Briolette-cut diamond
No one questions that the natural colors found in some of the diamonds out in the market are among the most pleasing things to lay your eyes on. Hence, it is no surprise that the attribute of color is the most dominant characteristic of a fancy colored diamond, and therefore considered most important. This stone was graded as a Fancy Deep Blue without any overtone colors at all, which is considered extremely rare.
However, having that said about the color, we should not forget that the other three of the 4Cs, carat weight, clarity, and cut, are considered extremely important and contribute immensely to the appearance of the stone. The affect of carat weight is rather clear, as it defines the actual weight of the stone. The weight is not directly connected to the size, but needless to say one is very closely connected to the other. This stone is 10.48 carats, which for any fancy colored diamond is enormous.
Similarly, the clarity of the diamond is important as it defines both the amount and various types of inclusions found either on the internal or external area of the stone. These inclusions in the diamond can damage the brilliance that shines off the stones as they interrupt the reflection of light and may also be detrimental to the look of the stone if visible with the naked eye. However, the blue briolette diamond is a flawless gem, which means there are no blemishes found at all.
The diamond cut, as the single attribute which is controlled by man, can display a number of differences in the stone which still remain somewhat unknown to many. To start, the symmetry between the many faceted arrangements in the stone are very important towards the look, so much so that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades it on a diamond certificate. Similarly, the type of cut used on the stone changes the appearance dramatically, and is also graded by the GIA. A Briolette cut is extremely unique as the entire gem is three dimensional.
Blue diamonds, especially without any overtone color, are considered extremely rare among others in the fancy colored diamond family. Its clarity is flawless, which is the highest clarity grade any diamond can receive. Its size, especially with such a phenomenal color, is almost never seen in the market today. Its make, in terms of polish and symmetry, was awarded the highest possible grade by the GIA. Finally, its briolette cut allows this magnificent stone to clearly stand out from the others.
The blue briolette diamond was yet another record breaking stone for both the highest price paid for a fancy deep blue diamond and the highest price paid for a briolette diamond.
David Bennett, the chairman of Sotheby’s jewelry department in Europe and the Middle East said “This was truly one of the finest offerings of colored stones in 20 years. Exceptional diamonds and jewels, such as the record breaking fancy deep blue diamond attracted intense bidding from several continents.”
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